Senate passes Etowah County SRO bill

Published: Tuesday, May 21, 2013 at 9:29 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, May 21, 2013 at 5:22 p.m.

Legislation that would allow local governments in Etowah County to hire retired certified law enforcement officers to serve as school resource officers passed the Alabama Senate late Monday night.

It now goes to Gov. Robert Bentley for his signature.

The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Craig Ford, D-Gadsden, would allow the Etowah County Commission and cities in the county to hire certified officers to serve as part-time SROs.

Gadsden Mayor Sherman Guyton has said the city of Gadsden would pay for the SROs in city schools if it could hire retired officers who would work part time. It would be less expensive to do that than hiring full-time officers in those positions.

The County Commission on Tuesday approved applying for a Community Oriented Policing Hiring Program grant through Department of Justice grant that would provide 75 percent of the funding for 11 full-time SROs in county schools for three years. The grant would not provide any funding after that.

<p>Legislation that would allow local governments in Etowah County to hire retired certified law enforcement officers to serve as school resource officers passed the Alabama Senate late Monday night.</p><p>It now goes to Gov. Robert Bentley for his signature.</p><p>The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Craig Ford, D-Gadsden, would allow the <a href="http://www.gadsdentimes.com/etowahcommisssion"><b>Etowah County Commission</b></a> and cities in the county to hire certified officers to serve as part-time SROs.</p><p>Gadsden Mayor Sherman Guyton has said the city of Gadsden would pay for the SROs in city schools if it could hire retired officers who would work part time. It would be less expensive to do that than hiring full-time officers in those positions.</p><p>The County Commission on Tuesday approved applying for a Community Oriented Policing Hiring Program grant through Department of Justice grant that would provide 75 percent of the funding for 11 full-time SROs in county schools for three years. The grant would not provide any funding after that.</p>